This disclosure relates generally to a water backup prevention system, and more particularly to a water backup prevention system for preventing sewage or sewer backup in a residential or commercial environment and providing an indication that a backup event has occurred or is about to occur.
Sewer lines are used to move raw sewage and waste water from a house or a commercial site to a waste water treatment plant to be processed before the treated water is provided to a water source. Although the sewer lines are designed to convey only waste water it is known that ground or storm water may infiltrate the sewer lines through defects, cracks, or holes. The ground or storm water may cause backup problems within a structure. Further, when leaking sewer lines allow infiltration of ground water into the sewer lines, soil particles may be suspended in the ground water and flow into the sewer line, leaving voids in the soil where the soil particles eroded. The erosion leads to the sewer line not being supported in the ground and the sewer line being broken. These defects can cause other problems such as potholes, sinkholes, collapse of streets and buildings. As can be appreciated, all of this should be avoided.
Basements may flood from sewer line water backup. Sewer line water backup may occur during a rain storm that produces a large amount of rain water that exceeds the flow capacity of a sewer system. If the sewer system is not of a sufficient size to be able to accommodate a heavy rainstorm then water backup will occur causing damage to a house or a commercial building. Even if the sewer system is of a sufficient size there still may be unusually heavy rainstorms that will still cause water backup into a basement. As can be appreciated, water and sewage may cause extreme damage to a basement and property and can be avoided.
There are valves that may be placed in drain openings in a building to prevent water backup. Although the valves are useful, the valves do not provide information remote from the valve that a water backup event is occurring or has occurred. If personnel are not alerted that a water backup event is occurring then individuals inside a building may still use faucets, toilets, and other devices connected to a drainage system. If such devices are continued to be used during a water backup event these devices could flood causing damage throughout the building. Again, as can be appreciated, this should be avoided to prevent damage.
The present disclosure of a water backup prevention system is designed to obviate and overcome many of the disadvantages and shortcomings experienced with water backup problems. Moreover, the present disclosure is related to a water backup prevention system that reduces or eliminates any water backup in a residential or commercial structure. The water backup prevention system of the present disclosure is also simple to use, to install, and automatically prevents water backup without requiring any operator intervention. Further, the water backup prevention system provides a signal indicative of a water backup condition to a remote location so that an operator can take action to prevent further water backup problems.